Having trouble getting registered or subscribing? Email us at info@kysportsreport.com or Private Message CitizenBBN and we'll get you set up!

  • VAUGHT: Robinson flips to follow his heart

    By LARRY VAUGHT

    If you had told me in August or September that the state’s most highly touted football player, Wandale Robinson of Western Hills, would play his college football at Nebraska, I would not have been surprised.

    It seemed like every time I talked to him, his affection for Nebraska coach Scott Frost got stronger and stronger. He never said anything negative about Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio State, Purdue or any other school recruiting him, but he always seemed to just light up talking about Frost and the offense at Nebraska even though the Cornhuskers were struggling to win games this year.

    But when it got to October and then November, he talked more about other schools and not as much about Nebraska. When he eventually gave his verbal commitment to UK in a major ceremony in his high school gym, it didn’t surprise me and the video of the Kentucky coaches celebrating showed just how important his commitment was to UK.

    He’s already been named Mr. Football by the state’s high school coaches and the Paul Hornung Award winner from the Louisville Quarterback Club that goes to the state’s top player. He’s been picked to play in the All-American Bowl, one of just 100 players nationally to get that honor.

    But now he’s not going to Kentucky. Instead, Robinson — who ran for 1,973 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2018 and had 725 receiving yards and 11 more scores — flipped his verbal commitment to Nebraska today and then posted on twitter that his recruiting was totally shut down.

    “Throughout this whole recruiting process I’ve always been told, ‘Do what’s best for you. You have to life your life for you and nobody else. Just follow your heart.’ Those words of advice got away from me as my verbal commitment date neared. I got overwhelmed by the pressure from outside influences, the pressure of staying home, and the pressure of trying to please everyone. Most people don’t realize the stress that goes on with recruiting, especially when it’s from your home state and everyone wants you to go there. Staying home is something I would have loved to do, but unfortunately my heart just isn’t there,” Robinson posted on Twitter.

    He obviously knows his flip from Kentucky to Nebraska — which runs a much more wide-open passing offense that Kentucky — will upset UK fans.

    “It was never my intention to hurt or mislead anyone or play any sort of game,” he posted also.

    Robinson told me a week ago that the only way he would not honor his commitment to UK was if coach Mark Stoops left. He told myself and several other media members Tuesday after he received his All-American jersey that he would sign with UK, enroll for the second semester and was still trying to recruit other players to also come to Kentucky.

    Robinson is an explosive, game-changing player much like Purdue freshman Rondale Moore of Louisville who had a great first collegiate season. He could contribute immediately on special teams as a return specialist but could also be a big-time playmaker at receiver immediately as well.

    His high school coach, Don Miller, posted on social media after Robinson’s flip that his “initial decision was made because he cares so much for those who have supported him over the years and wanted to make everyone happy. As time went on, he realized that while his decision made everyone else happy, it never felt like it was the right choice for him.”

    Miller said Robinson decided to “follow his heart” and hopes that others understand he’s a high school student trying to make a “huge life decision” for himself.

    “I am asking everyone else to be supportive, understanding and respectful of his decision. He is, and always will be, one of the best players to ever play the game of football in the state of Kentucky and I hope our state continues to be proud of him and cheer for and support him no matter what uniform he wears,” Miller posted on social media.

    Robinson’s flip comes the same day that Southeastern Conferences coaches named Stoops the SEC coach of the year and one day before Ballard linebacker Jared Casey is expected to verbally commit to UK. A week ago Louisville Moore defensive end J.J. Weaver, another four-star player, also committed to UK.

    Casey’s commitment would give UK 20 commits in the 2019 recruiting class even without Robinson.
    Comments 35 Comments
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      “It was never my intention to hurt or mislead anyone or play any sort of game,” he posted also.
      Don't lie to me punk and expect me to like it.
    1. suncat05's Avatar
      suncat05 -
      He deliberately misled Kentucky. Period. And as CBBN said, don't whizz down my back and tell me it's raining.
    1. Dokker's Avatar
      Dokker -
      Quote Originally Posted by suncat05 View Post
      He deliberately misled Kentucky. Period. And as CBBN said, don't whizz down my back and tell me it's raining.
      Clearly you need to go back and read his demand for you to respect his decision. And, yes, I'm being sarcastic.
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by dtalbersjr View Post
      It's not the flipping that's a big deal. I have no problem with that.

      It's having a 45 minute commitment ceremony, complete with a ridiculous announcement video, then
      -Giving an interview to Matt Jones saying Nebraska is not an option 1 week ago;
      -Having his people call Matt Jones after the interview to complain about asking the question and giving UK fans reason to think he might flip;
      -Telling Larry Vaught he would be signing with UK unless Stoops leaving;
      -Giving an interview Tuesday (after leaking it the night before that he was considering flipping), saying he would be signing with UK in December and was recruiting other players to UK
      -Flipping on Wednesday.

      Changing your mind is fine. Playing those games is not.

      Agrees 100%
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by Doc View Post

      Agrees 100%

      #metoo
    1. dtalbersjr's Avatar
      dtalbersjr -
      Gee, you’re the first person to compare this apple to those two oranges.
    1. dtalbersjr's Avatar
      dtalbersjr -
      I assume any UK fan knows this is nothing like what Wandale Robinson did, but in case you need a refresher ...

      http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/terrence_jones.html
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by dtalbersjr View Post
      Gee, you’re the first person to compare this apple to those two oranges.
      Not in my view as I'm comapring apples to apples. The way I see it, WR is like any 17 year old who commits and then changes his mind. All the other stuff make zero difference to me. I'm not insulted, offended, personally violated, etc. I expect 17 yrs olds to say one thing and do something else. It was par for the course for mine. To some/most it matters but not me. I don't care if we told Matt Jones or Larry Vaught one thing and did something else, or felt a UK verbal aided his Mr Football chances, or the perks of recruiting were the motivation. Recruits do this all the time, even ones that end up at UK. He is a high school kid for god's sake. And I suspect if the tables were turned, that he initially was 100% committed to Nebraska, and he reconsidered after being adament he was going to Lincoln, Kentucky fans would not have an issue! In fact he would probably be applauded for making a well thought out choice. Because boiled down to bare bones, he publicly verballed and flipped. Others can focus on the other crap. You want to, fine but it does not make the scenario different to me. UK fans feeling slighted is fine. Hate, dislike, whatever all you want but to me he is "just a recruit that went elsewhere" and worthy of no more or no less disdain.

      PS..I expect nobody to agree with my POV because like a jilted lover, our feelings were hurt. Its like a ex-girlfiend. She was great til she left you, then she is a cheating no good lying sack of poo. I don't follow that philosphy but most do.
    1. Catfan73's Avatar
      Catfan73 -
      Question: What about the report that there was a disagreement between you and the Nebraska coaching staff before you committed to Kentucky?

      What was this disagreement? Did the check bounce? https://lex18.com/sports/vaughts-vie...t-to-nebraska/
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      He probably found out that the coaching staff had lied about the weather, and they were not forthcoming about the weekly dances at the U. Robinson does not know how to square dance and has no desire to learn.
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by Catfan73 View Post
      Question: What about the report that there was a disagreement between you and the Nebraska coaching staff before you committed to Kentucky?

      What was this disagreement? Did the check bounce? https://lex18.com/sports/vaughts-vie...t-to-nebraska/
      I started to read the link, then realized I didn't care.
    1. Catfan73's Avatar
      Catfan73 -
      Nebraska is an Adidas school....one would have to be pretty naive to think the shenanigans began and ended with basketball recruits.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Then there are some that believe shoe companies have zero affect on recruiting.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by catmanjack View Post
      Then there are some that believe shoe companies have zero affect on recruiting.
      Yeah but those people don't sleep well. They still have all their old teeth under their pillows waiting for quarters to show up.
    1. catmanjack's Avatar
      catmanjack -
      Hey wait you got quarters?!!
  • KSR Twitter Feed